Biography

A notorious and unwaveringly raw act whose disturbing catch phrase "Carpathian Forest wants you dead!" is given harsh credence through their cast of "Anti human, Anti-life" Black Metal. CARPATHIAN FOREST, hailing from Sandnes, comprises Nordavind (Johnny Krøvel) and Nattefrost (Roger Rasmussen) assisted by EMPEROR and GREEN CARNATION bassist Tchort (Terje Vik Schei) and IN THE WOODS..., SCARIOT and GREEN CARNATION drummer Anders Kobro. Initially Nattefrost was titled Lord Nosferatu whilst Nordavind took on the proto-pseudonym Lord Karnstein. The group's first guise would be under the ENTHRONE banner, recording a 1991 demo 'Black Winds'. Re-billed CARPATHIAN FOREST a successive demo cassette 'Bloodlust And Perversion' followed with a rehearsal session also being distributed, incorporating renditions of BATHORY's 'Call From The Grave' and VENOM's 'Warhead'. The rhythm section for these tracks involved bass players GRIMM's Damnatus with Lord Blackmangler on the drums. 1993 demos 'In These Trees Are My Gallows' and 'Journey Through The Cold Moors Of Svarttjern' solidified their burgeoning reputation.

The band debuted in 1995 for the Italian label Avantgarde Music with the album 'Through Chasms, Caves And Titan Woods'. Once again a session rhythm team was drafted in the form of SEA OF DREAMS personnel bass player John Martin Haarr and Svein Harald Kleppe on the drums. Second commercial release, 'Bloodlust And Perversion', arrived in 1997, collecting together the band's three prior demo sets. Third offering 'Black Shining Leather' saw release in August 1998, recorded by Nattefrost, Nordavind and drummer Lazare (a.k.a. Lars Nedlund) of SOLEFALD and BORKNAGAR. The album, although a blazing and unrelenting black metal maelstrom for near full duration, closed out with an unexpected take on THE CURE's 'A Forest'. An interim picture disc 7" single, 1999's 'He's Turning Blue', was backed by a cover of MAYHEM's 'Ghoul'.

Nordavind quit the band previous to the release of the 2000 album 'Strange Old Brew'. This release signalled CARPATHIAN FOREST's attempts to carve out a niche all of their own, evoking film noir atmospherics, drenching tracks in reverb and even the presence of a saxophone on the piano driven 'House Of The Whipcord'. Nattefrost would also be operational with side project WORLD DESTROYER.

2001's 'Morbid Fascination Of Death' increased the emphasis on rhythm, rock standard riffing that was beginning to personify the group's distinct brand of "Hell Rock". Studio guests intriguingly found one 'C. Alucard' and HATEPULSE's Eivind Kulde on backing vocals alongside singer Nina Hex and saxophonist Motorsen. CARPATHIAN FOREST toured Europe in the Autumn of 2001 on a package billing with BEHEMOTH and Norway's KHOLD. A compilation album, 'We Are Going To Hell For This - Over A Decade Of Perversions' featuring three new tracks and a slew of live tracks, arrived in October of 2002. Also hosted would be a blackened interpretation of DISCHARGE's 'The Possibilities of Life's Destruction' and faithful tributes to DARKTHRONE's 'In The Shadow Of The Horns' and VENOM's 'In League With Satan'.

Nattefrost would also pursue activities with THE BLOODLINE, a co-operative also incorporating Mysteriis of DIABOLICUM and SETHERIAL with Sethlans Larva Shaytan from ABOYRM. Nattefrost's connection to the infamous Italian Black Metal band was strengthened with a guest appearance on ABORYM's 2002 album 'With No Human Intervention'.

A new studio album 'Defending The Throne Of Evil', produced by Terje Refsnes, was set for March 2003 issue but delayed until September. Again CARPATHIAN FOREST juxtaposed technical Black Thrash, groove, both Norwegian and English lyrics with the decidedly offbeat, more saxophone and the quirky cameo 'The Old House On The Hill', to mould an album of merit. 'Defending The Throne Of Evil' was subsequently issued in limited edition double vinyl format, adding an extra track 'Humilation Chant'.

The band formed up part of the 2004 European heavyweight 'No Mercy' festivals commencing 29th March, sharing billing with SPAWN OF POSSESSION, HYPOCRISY, KATAKLYSM, CANNIBAL CORPSE, VOMITORY, PREJUDICE and EXHUMED. However, prior to these gigs vocalist Nattefrost sustained injuries in an accident, suffering torn muscles and a fracture of his collar bone. Doctors advised the singer to withdraw from the shows in order to recuperate and the band duly announced they would perform an instrumental set for the opening shows with Nattefrost scheduled to rejoin the unit for the April 3rd Vienna, Austria show.

The 2004 album, 'Skjend Hans Lik', released through Season Of Mist, comprised new tracks alongside archive demo recordings 'Bloodlust And Perversion' dating from 1992. In September Hellcommander Nattefrost was revealed to be participating in HELVETE, a Black Metal "Supergroup" alllied with DARKTHRONE frontman Nocturno Culto, guitarist General K from DISIPLIN and drummer Faust, ex-EMPEROR and DISSECTION.

An extensive round of European headline shows in February 2005, dubbed 'The Art Of Provocation', found CARPATHIAN FORST supported by TSJUDER, WYKKED WYTCH and E-FORCE. Newly re-installed on bass guitar would be Vrangsinn of HATEPULSE and WORLD DESTROYER. The band toured throughout Central and South America during July. In September an announcement was made that the band were halting live activity to prioritise a new album. Utterly controversial as ever, 'Fuck You All!!!!' arrived in June 2006. Secondary guitar duties had now been doled out to Bloodpervertor (Goran Boman) of NEON GOD and OPUS FORGOTTEN.

The band joined a heavyweight casting of ROTTING CHRIST, MALEVOLENT CREATION, HARM, INCANTATION and NEURAXIS for the 'Domination' European tour, commencing on February 14th at the Warsaw Progresja venue in Poland before hitting Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Belgium, France and Holland.

CARPATHIAN FOREST parted ways with bassist Vrangsinn in January 2007. Announcing a new album with a working title of 'Universal Evil' the group utilised guitarist Tchort and mainman Nattefrost to handle bass duties in the studio.

Polish imprint Metal Mind Productions release a limited-edition version of the 2004 'We're Going To Hollywood For This - Live Perversions' DVD release on 27th April 2009. The original live Kraków concert footage was accompanied by a wealth of bonus material including a promotional video clip of a 'Carpathian Forest', footage from the studio, six rare live bootlegs, including MAYHEM's 'Ghoul', and eight tracks recorded at the 'Wacken Open Air' festival in 2003. Bonus audio material included demo versions of 'Black Shining Leather' and 'Mask Of The Slave', one live audio track, 'He's Turning Blue', six pre-production tracks from 'Defending The Throne Of Evil', one track by the Nattefrost, Vrangsinn and Kulde project WORLD DESTROYER and a GRIMM demo, featuring Nattefrost and Nordavind. The DVD also included biography, interview with the band leader Nattefrost, a discography, photo gallery with rare and exclusive pictures plus an art gallery.

Nattefrost commenced work on a third solo album 'Opfergang' in May 2009, this set featuring guest appearances from Dirge Rep, of ORCUSTUS and SECHT, and CARPATHIAN FOREST colleague Vrangsinn. Nattefrost also featured on the song 'Fossegrim' for the an EP released by Norway's KVELERTAK. He also collaborated with fellow Black Metal icon Fenriz of DARKTHRONE on a split album released in early June on Indie Recordings. The album, produced by Vrangsinn and Rabbagast entitled 'Engangsgrill', contains three tracks of Stoner Rock from FENRIZ' RED PLANET and five tracks of previously unreleased, or rare and difficult to find material, from NATTEFROST.